Here’s a thought…
“The United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”
ELBRIDGE COLBY
Letter to Editor | A set of dentures, $20 bill, and lipstick blotter?
||| FROM WILLIAM THOMPSON, "THE ROAD GUY" ||| Picking up litter can present interesting finds. A $20 bill was a nice find, a set of dentures was weird. But now, on an almost daily basis, a white paper cup is tossed out a window on Orcas Rd. just south of
Public health emergency declaration ends on May 11. What does this mean?
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| On May 11, 2023, the public health emergency (PHE) declaration will end. What does that mean for folks in San Juan County? Let’s take a look. Is COVID-19 gone? No. The virus is still present in Washington state and remains a threat to
Caring for native trees in the San Juan Islands
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Kevin Zobrist is a Professor and Extension Forester in the Washington State University Extension Forestry On Wednesday, May 17 at 10 a.m. the Orcas Island Garden Club will host a Hybrid meeting featuring Kevin Zobrist. You may attend the presentation in
The Kaleidoscope Forest is approved
||| FROM JUSTIN PAULSON for KALEIDOSCOPE ||| Thanks to months of planning, mountains of paperwork and numerous letters of support from our neighbors, The Kaleidoscope Forest has cleared a major hurdle towards reality. On Friday, April 28th, we received approval of our Conditional Use Permit for the property at 34
Upcoming play at the Grange: The Tin Woman
||| FROM DOUG BECHTEL for ACTORS THEATER OF ORCAS ISLAND ||| Tin Woman is the story of Joy, a young woman who receives a heart transplant from Jack, a young man killed in an automobile accident. As Joy (played by Mary Taylor) learns to adjust to her new life, so
Orcas Community Resource Center provides housing support for islanders
||| FROM MEGAN EHRMANTROUT for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Housing insecurity is a term we hear a lot lately. But what does it mean, whom does it affect, and what can you do about it? “Housing insecurity” is an umbrella term that encompasses several dimensions of housing problems people
Hey, today is Ben Franklin day for GiveOrcas campaign
||| FROM RICK RHOADS ||| Today is Ben Franklin Day for this spring's GiveOrcas campaign. The catalog entry with the most $100 contributions today gets an extra $1000 from the Community Foundation. Second place gets $500; third $250. You can donate at https://oicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create If you are able to donate $100 to
San Juan County announces departure of Community Development Director
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| As of Friday, May 5, 2023, San Juan County’s Director of Community Development, David Williams, is no longer employed at San Juan County. The County is appreciative of the contributions David has made during his tenure, but at this point, the vision for
The Community Band is getting back together: Join ’em!
||| FROM KAREN KEY SPECK for ORCAS COMMUNITY BAND ||| Hey Orcas (and beyond) the Community Band is getting back together to rehearse for the Fourth of July parade which will be on the Saturday, July 1. We will be practicing at 124 Warm Valley Lane on Mondays starting at
Suciasaurus rex named Washington state’s official dinosaur
||| FROM THE EVERETT HERALD ||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF ORCASONIAN READER OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill designating the Suciasaurus rex as the official dinosaur of the state. Inslee signed into law House Bill 1020 on Thursday, local television station KING5 reported. The new law
County hosts Lopez neighborhood meeting regarding Public Works facilities relocation
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is in the process of relocating its Public Works facilities on Lopez Island to the MacKaye Harbor area. In advance of this move, the County is holding a community meeting on Monday, May 15, 2023 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm for
Second generation of Coho Salmon found at Land Bank’s Coho Preserve on Orcas Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Local Fisheries Biologist, Jenny De Groot, shares an update on the emergence of Coho salmon at Coho Preserve on Orcas Island. "Spring is a time for optimism and hope. A time for rebirth. I am reminded of this each spring when camas bloom on Turtleback
Summer on Orcas will include 12 bands scheduled for Village Green
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| What started out as a means to gather safely during COVID has now turned into an annual Orcas tradition. Join us this summer as Orcas Center presents 12 great bands on the Village Green – FREE to the community! The eclectic lineup
Reminder: Airport runway to be closed 8-4 on Tues, Wed, Thur
||| FROM PORT OF ORCAS ||| KORS CLOSURE REMINDER: May 9th- 11th 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Be advised, construction work will take place on the Runway 34 PAPI starting this week. This will result in full runway closures at Orcas Island Airport between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
Larsen to visit Pathfinder Manufacturing, meet with student apprentices
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| On Monday, May 8, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will join Pathfinder Manufacturing CEO Dave Trader and his team to tour the aerospace manufacturer’s Paine Field facility. During the tour, Larsen will meet with junior and senior high school students who will
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center nationally recognized with an ‘A’
||| FROM BARBARA PONGRACZ LAMB for ST. JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER ||| BELLINGHAM, Wash. – PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center was awarded an ‘A’ in the spring 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a distinction recognizing PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Leapfrog Group
